Scientists make hydrogen fuel from bacteria and water

Hydrogen - a potential clean energy source - can be sustainably generated using just seawater, river water and bacteria, according to new research.

Hydrogen is a potentially valuable energy source but production costs and environmental concerns about using fossil fuels to produce the gas have limited its application so far.

Previous studies have shown hydrogen gas can be produced by harnessing the by-products of microbial organic matter metabolism in a device called a microbial electrolysis cell.

But the process requires an additional input of electricity to make it work effectively.

Now, according to a study published online in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, hydrogen can be produced in a single device by integrating a water-based power supply into the system.